Would have like to have seen a tougher looking body - as both our D7000s have had their problems. But it looks like it will slot straight into an existing housing for early tests - but the repositioned movie/LV controls and multi-selector on the back will mean new housings.

I plan to buy one - since it now looks like there won't be a direct D300 replacement. Since as Luiz says "Nikon is calling it the "DX format flagship"."

Presumably the same sensor (possibly updated) that is already in the D5200 and D3200 as well as Sony SLRs.

"The critical thing here is that despite the fact that the D7100 is Nikon's third DX-format 24MP DSLR, its sensor is new, and unique in Nikon's stable. In a first for Nikon, the D7100's sensor lacks an optical low-pass filter (OLPF). The D800E, Nikon's highest-resolution DSLR has the effect of its OLPF 'cancelled out', but the D7100, like the Pentax K-5 IIs, omits it altogether. The result should be higher resolution than is possible from the conventional 24MP sensors in the D5200 and D3200, and Nikon clearly feels comfortable with the associated higher risk of moiré in fine patterns - one of the few black marks against the 36MP D800E when we tested it last year."

Looks like it's a case of so close, and yet so far... :/
Just did a quick overlay. D7000 and D7100 very different button layout.
As Alex says, D600 closer button placement. I've done a rough guess of the relative size of the D600...

It looks like a decent iteration. It will undoubtedly have a higher quality sensor than the D7000 and the body is a bit more robust. Better video. It feels like Nikon just realized they needed to bump megapixel again but they are still ignoring the high-end DX user in my opinion. Glad they finally added the weather resistant body.

It is *not* a full on replacement for the D300s. It's a shame that Nikon has still left off features I had on my 2007 D300.

- Same stupid left hand dial to let me select "landscape" or "portrait". Really? That's flagship? I'd rather have the old WB/ISO buttons from the D300

- 51 autofocus points? Yes, that's nice, but it's a shame the D7100 is essentially getting the same focus system I had on the D300 6 years ago - shouldn't it be even better?

- Dual SD cards? Compact Flash is still faster. I'm betting the D7100 will still have a small buffer and will stop shooting at the most inopportune time.

- Where's the DX primes? Or anything cool and new in DX lenses?

Please don't misunderstand; this is definitely a better body than the existing D7000 and a very nice evolution. But it also shows me that Nikon wants to move the former D300 user off to FX just like I said in a thread about 3 months ago -- I predicted back then Nikon would never release a D400 but would instead make the next rev of the D7000 it's new top of the line DX.

For an underwater photographer who currently has a D7000, does this make you want to iterate and buy yet another $2500, (sorry, $3000-$3300) housing for what is essentially a megapixel increase or does this make you want to jump to FX? Is this a good enough iteration to keep people from jumping to Olympus OM-D which is much cheaper and has a better lens selection?

I've been patiently waiting for this announcement for about a year now. I've had my ol' D70s limping along for waayyy too long. I was even about to jump to D800 late last year, when they had those rebates on. Now the only question I have is back to the FX vs. DX debate, but that is for another thread.